Things You Cannot Run From
by DC-MarvelGirl 1997
Summary: In The Sound and Fury episode, I couldn't help but notice barry watching Caitlin walk away after the interaction she'd had with Hartley when he'd said he'd never gotten an invite to Caitlin and Ronnie's wedding. Barry and Caitlin friendship. Hurt/comfort.


**I was rewatching the episode where Hartley Rathaway was introduced as the Pied Piper, and I noticed the look on Caitlin's face after Hartley mentioned Ronnie and not getting an invite to Caitlin's wedding. This is a scene that I personally felt was missing. This isn't Snowbarry fic; this is simply showing Barry and Cailtin's friendship. Read, review and enjoy.**

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Barry found himself speeding his way back to S.T.A.R Labs with Hartley Rathaway, wishing the former employee of Harrison Wells would just shut up and get out of his ear. However, he also had a hunch. He could tell from what he'd seen that Hartley had been using low frequency; if he'd wanted to take down Rathaway Industries, he could have done it in one blast with high frequency and a very high intensity. He just felt that there wasn't something quite right. He walked into the lab, Hartley in the metahuman cuffs

"Being scooped up by a guy clad in head-to-toe leather has been a long-time fantasy of mine; so thanks," Hartley said to Barry in a smug voice. Caitlin and Cisco were already in the hallway. "Well, well, well the gang's all here. You lasted a lot longer than I thought you would, Cisco."

"And you didn't last ten seconds against the Flash," said Cisco proudly, not able to keep the smirk off his face. This felt like a win for him. Finally, he won against Hartley after those months of abuse he'd received from the other man while working at S.T.A.R. It felt satisfying.

"I was thinking about calling myself 'Pied Piper'," Hartley said, a smirk on his face in the same smug, slimy fashion Cisco and Caitlin always remembered from their time working with him.

"Hey," Cisco snapped. "I assign the nicknames around here!" He paused for a second to take consideration. "Although that one's not bad."

Suddenly, Hartley turned towards Caitlin. "Caitlin?" he said to her. "I never did get that wedding invite."

Although she tried to hide it, Caitlin was clearly hurt by Hartley bringing up Ronnie. Luckily, Barry spoke up for her

"Shut the hell up," Barry said angrily, disgusted by how Hartley was treating Caitlin. He shoved him towards Cisco to take the trash out and lock Hartley in the pipeline until they decided what to do with him.

"Stay in front of me!" Cisco snapped at Hartley as he shoved the other man in the direction of the pipeline prison. However, Barry could see behind the mask she was wearing the look of hurt that was in Caitlin's eyes. He stood there for a moment before deciding to go and check on her. Barry didn't have to look very long; Caitlin was sitting near the treadmill, clearly pretending to scratch her nose. Barry could see that she was wiping away tears. He knew that Ronnie being brought up in that fashion was a sensitive topic for Caitlin; Hartley hit her below the belt with what hurt her the most. It was enough to make Barry angry enough to punch Pied Piper in the face. Barry walked towards Caitlin and sat next to her.

"You okay?" Barry asked the red head.

Caitlin didn't look up. "I'm fine," she said, trying to brush it off.

 _There she goes,_ Barry thought to himself. _Trying to hide it by carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Were we separated at birth?_ "Yeah, I know you're not okay,"

Caitlin looked up at him, her eyes red, but she didn't look as though she'd been crying. "I hate how you can read me like a book," she told him.

"Aside from my speed one other thing I am good at is empathy and I can see when you are not okay," Barry told her gently around a smile. "I know what Hartley said to you was hard for you to hear."

Caitlin nodded. "Yeah, bringing up a wedding that's probably never going to happen," she said, more tears returning to her eyes.

"He hit you below the belt it was a low blow," said Barry. "And I know how you feel. It's the same way I felt when Tony would talk crap about my dad or my mom back in grade school." He pulled his friend against his side, allowing her to lean her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you," Caitlin told him. "I mean, every day when I go to work, I'm coming here to make sure that Ronnie didn't sacrifice himself in vain. But it's you and Cisco that keep me in the light and help me move forward. And I love you guys so much."

"We love you," Barry assured her gently. "We all love you; as much as you mother hen us we know it's out of love. I mean, somebody has to. Besides, if it were not for you and your cooking we'd all be eating Big Belly Burger for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

Caitlin smiled at that. It was true. She was the mom of the whole team and without her; Barry wouldn't be in one piece after a bad fight.

"Ronnie didn't die for nothing; he died a hero and saved so many lives including yours. If he hadn't done what he did you and Cisco and Wells might not be here with us today," said Barry.

"Thanks, Barry," said Caitlin, standing up and fixing her skirt. "Now, I believe I need to make sure that Hartley needs to be accounted for in his containment cell."

Barry smiled as Caitlin walked out of the room. He pulled his cowl back and changed out of the Flash suit and placing it back on the mannequin. He stood by the computers and watched Caitlin and Cisco talk to Hartley in Spanish and in French, wishing he'd taken a foreign language in high school. If there was one thing that he did know; Caitlin Snow was stronger, maybe even stronger than most thought she was.


End file.
